where are the virunga mountains located

where are the virunga mountains located

Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Though there are innumerable reasons to want to visit Virunga National Park, the potential insecurity in the region is of concern to many prospective visitors. [35], Increasing militarisation of nature conservation has been accused of fuelling armed mobilisation of militias. Okapis are endangered, and there are probably only a few thousand remaining. January 17, Nyiragongo volcano erupts spreading lava through the city of Goma. The vegetation above 2,600m (8,500ft) is subalpine with foremost African redwood (Hagenia abyssinica) growing up to 3,000m (9,800ft). Five rangers and a driver were killed in April 2018. [email protected] However, another creature is arguably Virungas (and Africas) most peculiar offering. [34], Five rangers were killed in August 2017 near Lake Edward in a militia attack. The central sector is centred around the banks of Lake Edward. [39], In April 2020 at least 12 park rangers were killed by militia men attacking a civilian convoy. The Virunga Mountains cover three countries of Africa that includes the south Western part of Uganda which covers the Mgahinga National park, the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo covering the Virunga National park and the North Western part of Rwanda which covers the Volcanoes National park. [5][21][49][50], African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) and African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) inhabit the national park's central sector. Every family comes with its dynamics, characters and stories, and the rangers have kept track of it all you can, read more about their histories and present breakdown here. Eastern Congo is one of the most economically disadvantaged places on earth, and competition for the Parks rich natural resources has always been fierce. is the branch of the Congolese government tasked with the protection and conservation of protected areas in the DRC. The Parks visitor accommodation at Mikeno Lodge welcomes new guests seeking to visit Virunga. They eat mostly fruit, but also feed on buds, shoots, leaves, flowers, and insects. To comment on this story: Download our app here - it's a troll-free safe place . In addition to buffalo, the plains support several ungulates, including topi, Ugandan kob, waterbuck, warthog, and red river and giant forest hog. Clashes occurred in 2015 when a local Mai-Mai group in Binza (north Bwisha) attempted to take back control of region, with the objective of reinstalling fishing activities and allowing the population to return, killing a park guard and 11-15 soldiers. Virunga National Park (covering an area of 790,000 ha) comprises an outstanding diversity of habitats, ranging from swamps and steppes to the snowfields of Rwenzori at an altitude of over 5,000 m, and from lava plains to the savannahs on the slopes of volcanoes. With a checklist of 706 different species, there are more birds in Virunga than in the entire United States of America. Established 1991, BEST SAFARI PRICES Farther north are the Rutshuru Falls and the Mai ya Moto sulfur springs. The national park's central sector encompasses about two thirds of Lake Edward up to the international border with Uganda in the east. This may also be done to protect the highly susceptible apes from human diseases like Covid-19. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [7], After the Second Congo War was over, confrontations between park personnel and rebel groups continued; 80 park staff were killed between 1996 and 2003. The name "Virunga" is an English version of the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means "volcanoes". The 8 Virunga Volcano Mountains: The Virunga is a chain of Volcanic Mountains in East Africa that's shared between Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. [email protected], Travel & conservation company, since 1991,

, The oldest national park in Africa, Virunga National Park covers nearly 8,000km. This sight is at its most impressive at night, so most opt to camp on the rim of the crater. It conserves a diversity of habitats that surpasses any other park on the continent and is tucked along the eastern boundary of the Democratic Republic of Congo, protecting the eastward extremity of the Congo Basin. The lava field of these two volcanoes has remained active, with notable eruptions occurring in 1912, 1938, 1948, the 1970s, and 2002. In contrast to the relatively sedate gorilla trekking, chimp habituation more often than not involves an adrenaline-filled race through the forest to keep up with our arboreal relatives. The 2008 partnership between the Congolese National Parks Authority (ICCN) and the Virunga Foundation marked a turning point in the parks history. 689 men and women standing fearlessly to protect Virunga, Critical training and support for widows and children of fallen Virunga Rangers, The world's only facility caring for mountain gorilla orphans. Illegal hunting inside protected areas increased. Okapi (Okapia johnstoni), blue duiker (Philantomba monticola), bay duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), Weyns's duiker (C. weynsi), yellow-backed duiker (C. silvicultor), water chevrotain (Hyemoschus aquaticus), red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), aardvark (Orycteropus afer) and bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) were recorded in the northern sector in 2008. Several armed rebel groups operate in the park, including Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda and National Congress for the Defence of the People (FDLR). [18] In 1969, the two parks were merged under the name Virunga National Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. As might be expected in a park that encompasses such a large variety of habitats, the birding can be described as extraordinary. Though Virunga is accessible year-round (if open to visitors), the best time to visit is during the drier months, from June until September or December until February. Shoebills prefer to hunt in poorly oxygenated and shallow waters where fish are closer to the surface, using their razor sharp beaks to catch their prey. Mikeno and Sabinio are the oldest of these, dating from the early part of the Pleistocene Epoch (the Pleistocene began about 2,600,000 years ago and lasted until about 11,700 years ago); their craters have disappeared, and erosion has imposed a jagged relief. In 1926, Derscheid headed the first Belgian mission to map Albert National Park, which encompassed an area of 500km2 (190sqmi) around the extinct volcanoes Mount Karisimbi and Mount Mikeno. Disorder spreads across the Park's Southern Sector. Lake Rutenzige is fed by several large rivers, the Rutshuru River being one, and drains to the north through the Semliki River into Lake Albert. Virunga national park located in the democratic republic of Congo hosts 6 Virunga volcanoes that is mount karisimbi, mount Nyiragongo, mount Sabyinyo, mount Mikeno, mount Nyamurangira, and Mount Bisoke. Every morning, rangers set out at the crack of dawn to track down and monitor their charges, and by the time guests have stirred and downed their first coffee, many families have already been located. [41][42], On 22 February 2021, Italy's ambassador to the DRC who was travelling with the World Food Programme about 15km north of Goma, Luca Attanasio, as well as Italian military police officer Vittorio Iacovacci and Congolese driver Moustapha Milambo, were killed in the gunfire when a militia that had kidnapped their convoy, and had brought them into the park, was met by park rangers who managed to free four people. The worlds entire population of critically endangered mountain gorillas live only in the Virunga Massif and Bwindi National Park, which spans parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda. [8] They were subsequently released unharmed. [45], The climate in the Albertine Rift is influenced by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the El NioSouthern Oscillation. The word Virunga is got from a local word "Ibirunga* the Kinyarwanda word for "mountains". Virunga is an English derived word from its origin word "ibirunga" (comes . Here, Virunga reaches Lake Kivu and borders Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. [email protected] Hippo numbers increase to over 2000 for the first time in 20 years. Nyiragongo are rewarded with a view of the worlds largest lava lake as it churns and bubbles. The name Virunga comes from the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means volcanoes. The park is also home to a diverse array of fauna and flora, including over 200 mammal species and a third of the worlds remaining mountain gorillas. Following the Rwandan genocide, thousands of refugees fled to the Kivu region, and the presence of military increased. [25], Land laws were reformed in the 1960s after Belgian Congo became independent as the Republic of the Congo, and the land declared property of the state, much to the disadvantage of local people. To find lodges, search for our ready-made packages or get in touch with our travel team, scroll down to after this story. Virunga has a vision for responsibly harnessing the Parks natural resources to create new opportunities for the four million people that live within a days walk of its borders. Description of the Virunga Mountains The Virungas form a barrier between the Nile Basin to the north and east and the Congo Basin to the west and south. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. Andre Bauma is the manager of the Senkwekwe Center and heads up the team of dedicated carers responsible for looking after the Center's orphaned mountain gorillas. It includes a lush landscape that ranges from the Semliki River Valley to the Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Nyiragongo, and Nyamuragira. Today, they are probably the parks most famous residents. The Virunga Mountains are all volcanic mountains but most of them are dormant. Regional conflict spills over and an estimated 5.6 million Congolese die from the fighting. The latter organisation is responsible for park management since 2010; about 80% of management costs are subsidised by the EC. Focussing on three key areas: hydropower, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, and tourism, Virunga National Park is working to economically transform the region creating jobs and reducing poverty rates. [6] It has been listed in the List of World Heritage in Danger since 1994 because of civil unrest and the increase of human presence in the region. These savannas and woodlands contain many different types of grasses and trees. Satellite images showed hotspots at Nyamuragira volcano in early 2017, indicating ongoing eruptions. The Virunga Mountains are 8 famously known mountain ranges that lie on the northern border of Rwanda and Congo and south western part of Uganda. There is something about the familiarity of their facial expressions, their familial bonds and the calm, contained power that makes gorilla trekking unlike any conventional animal encounter. Tree heath (Erica arborea), heather and mosses cover humid slopes up to 3,700m (12,100ft) elevation. The great volcanoes of this range, clothed in cloud forests, include the dormant Mikeno, Karisimbi, Visoke, and Sabinio (Sabinyo), as well as the active Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira. Virunga has the highest number of amphibian species in the Albertine Rift, an area which encompasses parts of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. The protected area is a portion of the Virunga massif a chain of 8 volcanic mountains that straddle the borders between Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. It conserves a diversity of habitats that surpasses any other park on the continent and is tucked along the eastern boundary of the Democratic Republic of Congo, protecting the eastward extremity of the Congo Basin. Anti-poaching patrols inside the park were obstructed, and park personnel and wildlife were killed. [61][62] Ndakasi, a gorilla from the park, was featured in a few television series and movies, including the Netflix documentary.[63]. The largest herd of elephants over 500 - since the 1980's are observed in the Ishasha corridor of Virunga. [26] It is . The okapi is the closest known relative to the giraffe and looks very much as though someone crossed a zebra, antelope, and giraffe. Only one mountain of the 8 is an active volcano that is Mount Nyiragongo found in DRCongo. Virunga National Park is a national park in the Albertine Rift Valley in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UNESCO designated the park a World Heritage site in 1979, and it was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1994, because of the growth of permanent settlements within the park and the influx of a great number of refugees fleeing war in neighbouring Rwanda. chat to the Africa Geographic travel team, Photographer of the Year 2023 Weekly Selection: Week 11. The Virunga Mountains (Virunga massif/Virunga ranges) is a block of Chain Mountains found in East - central Africa. Preventing these plans the park gained further protection by an agreement sealed between DRCs president Felix Tshisekedi and Boris Johnson at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. [4] Together with Queen Elizabeth National Park, Virunga is considered by the IUCN to be a Lion Conservation Unit. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Park is founded as Parc Albert, the first national park to be established on the African continent. Poachers murder four mountain gorillas, making this the first time in 10 years that a mountain gorilla had been poached within Park borders. The Centre is the only one of its kind in the world. Some biologists even believe that a fifth subspecies, called the mountain or Virunga buffalo, should be recognised. Virunga National Park is placed on the list of endangered World Heritage sites. Rwanda is located in East Africa, to the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at the co-ordinates 200S 300E . Virunga National Park is one of the five UNESCO protected areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICCN. [5], Primates present in the national park include mountain gorilla (G. b. beringei), common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), golden monkey, red-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus ascanius), Dent's mona monkey (C. denti), blue monkey (C. mitis), Hamlyn's monkey (C. hamlyni), De Brazza's monkey (C. neglectus), Central African red colobus (Procolobus foai), mantled guereza (Colobus guereza), olive baboon (Papio anubis) and grey-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena). Virunga is a biodiversity spectacle but is also a testament to the courage of those that have fought and often given their lives in its defence.

Youngstown Vindicator Obituaries, Wildside Kennels Bloodline, Hany Mukhtar Contract, Articles W